poverty. This concerns a man upon whom death has come, and those present say to him: “Look to yourself, for your children and heirs will not avail you in any way. Provide for yourself: manumit slaves, give charity, and give so-and-so such-and-such,” until they have disposed of most of his wealth. Allah, Exalted is He, forbade them from doing this and commanded them instead to advise him to look after his children, not to exceed one-third in his bequest, and not to prejudice his heirs. For if the one giving this advice were himself the testator, he would be pleased for those present to urge him to preserve his wealth for his children and not leave them destitute in their weakness and helplessness.
Al-Kalbi said: This address is directed to the guardians of orphans. That is, whoever has an orphan in his care should treat him well and fulfill his rights in the manner he would wish for his own offspring after his death.
His saying, Exalted is He: “So let them be mindful of Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.” That is, words of justice; and appropriate speech is speech that is just and correct. This means that they should advise him to give in charity ⦗79/a⦘ less than one-third and leave the remainder for his children.
“Indeed, those who consume the property of orphans unjustly are only consuming fire into their bellies, and they will burn in a blazing Fire. (10)”
His saying, Exalted is He: “Indeed, those who consume the property of orphans unjustly.” Muqatil ibn Hayyan said: This was revealed concerning a man from Banu Ghatfan named Marthad ibn Zayd. He had been entrusted with the property of his young orphaned nephew, but he consumed it; so Allah, Exalted is He, revealed concerning him: “Indeed, those who consume the property of orphans unjustly.” (1) That is, unlawfully and without right. “They are only consuming fire into their bellies”: Allah has informed of its ultimate outcome—that is, its consequence will be so. “And they will burn in a blazing Fire.”
The majority recite it in the active voice, meaning: they will enter it. In Arabic, the verb means to enter the Fire. Allah, Exalted is He, says: “Except for one who will burn in Hellfire” (al-Saffat 37:163). Ibn Amir and Abu Bakr recited it in the passive voice, meaning: they will be made to enter the Fire and burned therein. Similar to this are His sayings, Exalted is He: “Then We will cast him into a Fire” (al-Nisa 4:30), and: “I will cast him into the Blazing Fire” (al-Muddaththir 74:26).
In a hadith, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “On the night of my Night Journey, I saw people whose lips were like the lips of camels: one lip was drawn back to their nostrils, while the other hung down upon their bellies. The keepers of the Fire were feeding them the embers and rocks of Hell. I said: ‘O Gabriel, who are these?’ He replied: ‘They are those who consume the property of orphans unjustly.’” (2)